Move to protect future of recreation ground

Published:12:05Friday 15 June 2012

TOWN councillors have agreed in principle to look at nominating Boston Road recreation ground as a ‘Field In Trust’.

The plan, under the Queen Elizabeth II Fields scheme, has been researched by Coun Keith Dolby who explained that Sleaford Town Council would be in a stronger position to fight a Compulsory Purchase Order to buy land for the planned access road across the ‘rec’, between Boston Road and Mareham Lane.

The town council would still have control of the site but would not be able to sell in future without permission of the QEII Trust.

The only people who could apply for the Deed of Covenant placed on the recreation ground would be the town council and Tesco, as the potential buyers, would have to seek permission from the council.

Mr Dolby said: “Since the outcome of having the covenant lifted is by no means certain, are Tesco going to be willing to risk a great deal of money when the outcome could well go against them?”

Some councillors were concerned that if the QEII Trust choose to fight a CPO, legal costs may spiral, at the town council’s expense, but it was suggested those terms could be varied to give the council more control.

Mr Dolby added that they could also apply for more grant aid for improvements to the recreation ground.

This was supported by Coun David Suiter, who said: “It supports our ambitions for the field and, in the Jubilee year, it is something we can hand over to the Queen as our cherished possession.”